


Always Have Time For You

by daniellemydear



Series: The Ties That Bind [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Aunt-Niece Relationship, But Leia ships it, Family Bonding, Gen, Poe doesn't actually appear in this story, background Poe/Rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 06:52:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13242855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daniellemydear/pseuds/daniellemydear
Summary: Rey doesn't quite know what having family means.What she's allowed, where the limits are, what she can ask for.She doesn't know, but she wants to.





	Always Have Time For You

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 
> 
> So I have a lot of.... thoughts... and um, feelings about TLJ and if you follow me on tumblr those are probably pretty clear, but my final take away is that I'm gonna keep on keeping on doing my thing and continue to live in my AU world of my own creation lol...

Rey stepped up to the door, raised her hand to knock, lowered it just as quickly before turning on her heel and stalking away. She only made it about ten paces before she stopped and grumbled annoyed at herself. She was no coward and she could knock on a simple door. Shoring her shoulders she spun back around and marched back up to the door.

But it was awfully early.

Maybe it was  _too_ early?

She had yet to break her habit waking with sun. Growing up on a desert planet it was imperative to be an early riser, doing any necessary traveling outside before the hottest part of day was important. But she learned quickly that while the Resistance never  _really_ slept, most of its members did not start their daily routine as early as she did. Perhaps she should come back later.

This time she only made it about three steps away before the delicate clearing of someone's throat had her stopping in her tracks. Spinning around once more, she stopped short when she saw that instead of a closed door, Leia Organa was standing, looking more than a little amused, in the open doorway. She wasn't yet dressed for the day, her robe sashed tight over her sleepwear, but the alertness in her eyes spoke to the fact that she had been awake for some time.

"I got bored of waiting to see when you would actually knock," Leia explained, an amused grin playing at the corners of her mouth.

Rey's face flushed pink. "You knew I was out here the whole time?" she asked sheepishly.

"Well, you were practically shouting at me through the Force," Leia told her, making the color in the Rey's cheeks deepen. "My brother really needs to work on your shields with you."

"I'm so sorry," she apologized, bringing her hands up to cover her burning cheeks.

"Don't be my dear," she said stepping back from the door and gesturing the younger woman inside.

Glancing up and down the corridor as if she was worried about someone seeing her entering the General's rooms, Rey hurried inside. Standing awkwardly just inside the door, she looked at her surroundings, her eyes never landing on any one thing for long, before darting to something else.

"Now what had you pacing the hallway in front of my door so early this morning?" Leia asked, seemingly at complete ease, even has the tension rolled off of Rey. "I was just having some tea while I was reading over the latest reconnaissance reports. Would you like a cup?"

"Oh, I just wanted to ask for a favor, but if you're busy I can come back another day," Rey said in a rush. "I don't want to take up your time."

"Nonsense Rey," Leia said quickly shutting down that train of thought. "I always have time for you. Come sit down sweetheart," she added patting the space on the sofa next to her.

Rey crossed over to the couch and perched on the edge of the seat looking like she still might bolt. Leia placed a comforting hand on her forearm trying to figure out what could possibly have her niece so worked up. In the weeks since she and Luke had returned from Ahch-To she had steadily been building a relationship with the girl, the three of them even making an effort to share an evening meal together every few days as they relearned how to be a family. But she'd never seen her so unsure of herself, usually Rey faced every day and every new challenge with her shoulders squared and her chin high.

"Now tell me, what can I do for you?"

Rey took a deep breath, clearly steeling herself before making her request. "I was wondering if you could help me with my hair?"

Leia blinked once, but kept any other expression of surprise off her face. Of all the favors she might expect her to ask for, that was not one of them. "What about your hair?" she asked neutrally. It had obviously taken a lot for Rey to ask, and she didn't want to put her off accidently.

"I want to change it, but I don't know how to do anything else with it," she admitted. "This is the only way I've ever worn it. And you always do your hair so nice I thought maybe you could help me?" she asked with a cringe. Rey was already regretting her request, after all Leia was the leader of the entire resistance, surely she had better things to do then help a clueless scavenger with her hair.

"I'd be happy to," Leia said immediately, not having to think twice before answering.

"Really?" Rey asked, genuine surprise written all over her face.

"Of course," she assured her with a gentle smile. "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Leia disappeared into her bedroom, it only taking a moment to find the hairbrush she was looking for. This particular bone handled brush was actually part of a set given to her by Rey's mother several years before the girl was born. When she reentered the sitting room, Rey was already pulling her hair down from its customary three knobs. Her hair was actually much longer than Leia had expected, her usual hairstyle disguising its length, and it fell down her back in soft waves. Crossing back over to her niece, she tossed a pillow onto the ground in front of the sofa.

"You're going to have to sit on the floor or else you'll be too tall for me. You didn't get your height from our side of the family," she teased, since Rey was half a foot taller than her, and almost as tall as Luke was.

Once Rey was situated on the pillow, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her shins, Leia began brushing out her hair, making sure it was free of tangles before she began styling it. Leia couldn't help but be reminded of her own childhood, sitting at her mother's feet getting her own hair brushed lovingly. They had attendants who could have done it for her, but Breha Organa always took the time out of her evening routine to spend time with her daughter and brush her hair out before bed. It was one of the fondest memories she held of her mother.

"What are you doing?" Rey asked curiously, glancing over her shoulder. "I mean, what are you using to comb my hair?"

"A brush?" Leia responded, not exactly sure what to make of her question. "It's a mazor bristle brush so it's good for your hair and feels nice on your scalp. Do you not like it? I could stop."

"No!" Rey exclaimed a bit more vehemently than she initially intended. "It feels nice. Really nice."

"Okay good," Leia said, going back to what she was doing. "What do you usually use to comb your hair?"

"My fingers mostly," Rey answered with a careless shrug of her shoulders.

Leia didn't comment on that, but continued to brush Rey's hair for much longer than was strictly necessary, watching as all of the girl's earlier tension bled out of her shoulders at the soothing repetitive movements. She was pretty sure she'd be purring if humans were a species that did so.

"Do you mind if I ask a question?" Leia asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Hmmm?" Rey hummed her assent in her almost trance like state.

"Why now?"

She didn't answer right away and Leia wasn't sure if she was going to.

"It's just time I guess," she finally said. "I don't need to keep it the same anymore."

"What do you mean?" Leia probed further, even though she was pretty sure of the answer.

"I kept my hair the same way the whole time I was on Jakku," Rey explained softly. "I guess I was hoping it would help my family recognize me when they came back for me, even though I'd grown up."

That was about what she was expecting to hear, but all the same Leia was glad that Rey's back was to her and her niece couldn't see her face, since she couldn't stop the pang of guilt that passed over her countenance. Rey often mistook her and Luke's guilt, whenever she mentioned a new bit of information from her life on Jakku, for pity and that was the last thing the young woman wanted.

Placing the brush on the side table next to the sofa, Leia ran her fingers through Rey's hair. "How would you like me to do it?"

"I don't care, I trust you," Rey responded easily. "Just up and out of my face for training today."

"That I can do."

Leia found herself enjoying the methodical task of braiding Rey's hair. She always did her own, but it had been a long time since she had been able to do someone else's, and it was much easier to do one of the more complicated styles on someone else's head.

"It's more fitting then you know that you came to me for this," Leia mentioned as she worked a few smaller braids into a larger one crossing diagonally across the back of Rey's head.

"What do you mean?" Rey asked curiously.

"I was the one to first put your hair up into those three knobs," she revealed.

"Really?" Rey asked, her interest piqued as it did whenever she got new information about her past prior to Jakku.

"And would you like to know why?" Leia asked, already explaining before Rey even had to ask. "You and your parents had come to visit us on Hosnian Prime just a few weeks before…" she trailed off for just a moment. She didn't have to say before what, they both knew. "And your father and your uncle were  _supposed_ to be watching you, and can I say they weren't doing a very good job of it," she revealed making Rey laugh lightly. "And you, little miss trouble, found a pair of scissors in my desk drawer."

"Oh no," Rey groaned, already knowing where this story was going.

"Oh yes," Leia replied, her smile clear in her tone as she recalled the story. "And you thought it would be a marvelous idea to give yourself a haircut."

"I didn't!" she cried at her younger self.

"You did, and none of it was the same length," Leia confirmed. "And just like now, you didn't like having your hair in your face, so the knobs were the only way I could get all of your hair up at one time."

"How much trouble was I in?" she asked curiously.

"Actually, not that much," Leia told her. "After all, no one had specifically told you not to cut your own hair before. And how upset you were when we had to cut your almost waist length hair off at your shoulders was punishment enough. Luke and Han were in far more trouble since they were supposed to be the ones watching you. And honestly, those scissors were so sharp they were lucky that your hair was the only thing you cut."

"I wish I could remember," Rey said so softly Leia almost didn't hear her.

"I wish you could too darling," Leia agreed, as she continued to braid. "But your father still believes some of your memories might start coming back now that the Force block is off your mind."

Rey made some kind of noise from the back of her throat, that could have been agreement or simply been acknowledgement that she had heard her speak.

"In the meantime," Leia continued, "I'll just have to keep telling you stories. For example, you were born with a full head of hair, and it grew like a weed from day one."

"It still does," Rey confirmed. "When it starts to get too heavy I use my knife to cut some off."

Well, Leia thought, that certainly explained the ragged and uneven ends she had noticed when she had been brushing out her hair. She made a mental note offer her a proper haircut at some point in the near future.

Tying a leather cord around the base of her new braid, Leia took a moment to admire her handiwork. "You're all set sweetheart," she announced, giving Rey's shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Go take a look and see what you think."

Rey was up off the floor and on her feet with a grace and nimbleness that made Leia miss her more youthful days. She followed the girl over to the mirror on the wall at a slower pace.

Meanwhile Rey was twisting and turning in front of the mirror trying to see her new hairstyle as best she could. It looked deceptively simple for how intricate the braidwork was. Smaller braids all woven into a much larger braid that started above her right temple and ended hanging over her left shoulder. It was perfect.

"It looks so pretty," Rey murmured, bringing a tentative hand up to her hair. "I hardly even recognize myself."

"That style is very flattering on you dear, but you're a beautiful young woman Rey. No matter how your hair is styled," Leia told her, meeting her eyes in the mirror from over her shoulder and giving her a playful wink. "It runs in the family after all."

Rey laughed brightly and turned to wrap the older woman in a hug, pressing an impulsive kiss to her cheek. "Thank you Aunt Leia."

"Of course my darling," Leia said, giving her an extra squeeze, her own happy smile wide across her face. Neither she nor Luke had wanted to press the issue of titles, just happy to have her back in their lives, but that was the first time Rey had called her Aunt Leia since she was a little girl and it made her heart swell with feeling until she was sure it might burst.

"You know who else I think will find your new look quite becoming?" Leia asked leadingly as Rey pulled out of her embrace, an eyebrow quirked curiously. "Commander Dameron."

"Uh… umm… what?" Rey sputtered looking scandalized, even as her cheeks pinkened. "I don't know what you mean by that. We're just friends."

"Mhmm," Leia hummed disbelievingly. She wasn't blind, she saw the way her niece and her hot shot pilot looked at each other. It seemed to her that appearances weren't the only thing that ran in their family. "I also know that he was on patrol last night and should have landed just a few minutes ago and will likely be looking for a hot meal before he gets some rest. You should go find yourself some breakfast as well."

Rey sputtered some more. "Yes well, only because sometimes I get light headed if I don't eat before training."

Leia chuckled to herself as Rey practically fled her quarters. She'd just wait and see how long her insistence that they were only friends lasted.

That night when Rey returned to her quarters, she was surprised, but pleased to find the carved bone handled brush, along with a matching hand mirror and comb sitting on her pillow. Perching on the edge of her bed she took a moment to run her fingertips over the fine items that she knew were older than she was. With a soft smile on her face she picked up the piece of folded flimsy that was tucked underneath the thoughtful gift.

Opening the note she read the message written in her Aunt's graceful handwriting.  _Anytime_. It said underlined three times for emphases. And underneath that it said,  _I mean it. I always have time for you._

Rey went to bed that night with a smile on her face.

The next morning she simply tamed any flyaways with a bit of water and went about her morning, the braid still presentable for another day. The third day she reverted back to her three knobbed hairstyle. But on the fourth day she found herself back in front of the General's door, the gifted brush clasped in one hand while she brought the other one up to knock, testing the validity of the  _anytime_ offer.

When Leia answered the door with a smile and a pleased sparkle in her eye, Rey knew she had meant it. That day she accepted the offer of tea.

And so it became a bit of habit between the two women, every few days Rey would show up at her Aunt's door, brush in hand. In time it became less and less about her hair, Leia having taught her a number of styles simple enough for her niece to do on her own. But they both still enjoyed the ritual of it. What was important was the quiet time they spent together before the rest of the base started their busy days.

Leia would tell her stories. Sometimes about Rey's childhood before she was left on Jakku, or about her own childhood growing up as a princess on Alderaan. Sometimes they were stories of herself, her uncle and her father during their time in the Rebellion. Other times the tales she told were lessons in disguise, teaching Rey about diplomacy, or history, or simply how life in other parts of the galaxy functioned.

And Rey would tell Leia about her training, about her adventures with her new found friends. And she would ask questions, so many questions. She would ask about social mores that she had never learned raising herself on the outer rim. Whenever someone made a reference to something that everyone seemed to understand but her, she would file it away until she could ask her Aunt. And she would ask for advice about her growing feelings for someone who was definitely not a hot shot pilot named Poe Dameron.

Rey really liked having family.

**Author's Note:**

> And there we have it... I was really sad we didn't get more Rey and Leia together, so I decided to fill that hole myself... let me know what you thought!


End file.
